The tours, to be held every Sunday in October, will include stops at the 1718 Whippany Burying Yard in Hanover Township, “Ghostly Revelations’’ at the Ford Mansion in Morristown; and “Bones and Stones: Who’s Buried at the Presbyterian Church’’ in Morristown.
These annual walking tours are usually among the most popular offered by the Tourism Bureau and sell out quickly, so pre-registration and pre-payment are required to hold a reservation.
“The efforts of the Tourism Bureau not only call attention to the great history of Morris County, but offer residents and visitors some great recreational opportunities, and offer a boost to the county’s economy,’’ said Morris County Freeholder Director Kathy DeFillippo. “I encourage residents to take advantage of and enjoy these offerings.’’
This year ghosts and graveyards tour schedule is as follows:
The 1718 Whippany Burying Yard Saturday, October 3 at 10 a.m.
Whippany (a section of Hanover Township) was the first town to be settled in Morris County and its graveyard is the oldest.
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| First Presbyterian Church of Whippany graveyard |
Tour the Burying Yard with members of the Hanover Landmarks Commission who will tell the stories of some of the 450 souls buried there, including the earliest inhabitants of the county, Revolutionary War notables and Civil War soldiers.
Three hundred years of gravestone art is represented and will be highlighted on the tour.
Free parking is available in the J&R Tobacco lot adjacent to the cemetery at 301 Route 10 East. The tour begins in the cemetery. Cost is $15 per person.
Ghostly Revelations at the Ford Mansion
Saturday, October 10 at 10 a.m.
The Ford Mansion in Morristown recently underwent a paranormal study by Gordon Ward, a well-respected investigator of ghosts and hauntings and an author on the topic.
The mansion was General George Washington’s home for 200 days in 1780, and the Ford family’s home for three generations.
After the study’s results are presented, tour participants may tour the Ford Mansion with park rangers and spend the day at Morristown National Historical Park.
Meet in the auditorium of the Washington’s Headquarters Museum, 30 Washington Place, Morristown. Cost is $20 per person and includes free park admission for the day. Free parking is available in two lots adjacent to the park and also along Washington Place.
Bones and Stones: Who’s Buried at the Presbyterian Church?
Sunday, October 18 at 3 p.m.
Sunday, October 25 at 3 p.m. and 4:15 p.m.
Step back in time to 1733 and get to know Morristown’s founding families, many of whom are buried in the graveyard behind the area’s first church.
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| Presbyterian Church of Morristown |
Learn about the history and architecture of the church and hear the stories of its early parishioners, including the Lindsleys, Fords and Vails.
Plan to tread carefully through the wooded, sacred ground, resting place of 135 Revolutionary War soldiers.
The tours begin inside the church at 57 East Park Place, Morristown. Cost is $15 per person. The tours are led by Carol Barkin, a guide with the Morris County Tourism Bureau and a member of the Morristown Historic Preservation Commission.
There are metered parking spaces around the Morristown Green, or park in the Headquarters parking lot just north of the church or in the parking lot behind the Century 21 Department store—enter on Cattano Street.
Tours last approximately one hour. Tickets are $15 each with the exception of the October 10th tour at Morristown National Historical Park which is $20. Please mail your payment to MCTB, 6 Court Street, Morristown, New Jersey 07960 or pay online at morristourism.org. For more information, call 973-631-5151.
The Fall 2015 Historical Walking tours are being generously sponsored by Robert Lloyd Coutts and Sons, Insurers, and by Century 21 Department Stores.
For more information on Morris County Tourism, visit: http://morristourism.org/
For more information on Morris County Heritage, visit: http://morriscountynj.gov/mchc/